1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic component processing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for forming and trimming the lead wires of transistors and the like.
2. The development and rapidly expanding extensive use of the transistor in the past decade has brought mass-production techniques for the rapid production of them. The manufacturers of these types of electrical components customarily produce and supply them with long leads which are then cut and formed by the user for mounting in his particular electronic circuit. It is quite common to find in the same electronic circuit many of the same value transistors each with a different requirement for the length, shape and spacing of the lead wires. These requirements include forming an offset in the lead sufficient to provide a shoulder at a given point as the lead is mounted in a hole in a printed circuit board. In this manner the transistor may be suspended above the board so that it will not be subjected to all the vibrations of the board or to all the heat of soldering. At other times the leads are spread in a specified shape for such reasons as to reduce the possibility of short circuiting of the soldered points to the printed board. As the quality and quantity of applications of transistors to electronic circuits increase the greater is the need for the automatic cutting and forming device of this invention and for precisely cutting the leads to a determined length and to spread and bend the leads to a precise shape and location.
The widespread use of transistors in the multitude of electrical circuits such as radio, television, computers and like assemblies require that the transistors be made to fit economically in the various assembly processes. Among these processes are those using printed circuit systems in which boards and other mounting arrangements having wire receiving holes of precise location which are provided for the mounting therein of the lead wires of the transistors. In the design of these electrical circuits it is necessary that the lengths of the leads of the transistors be made of a predetermined length, configuration and spacing so that all the components will fit and operate in the circuit in a determined manner. Much thought and consideration, building of apparatus and the like has been done to cut the leads to a determined length and then bend them so that they will fit into the mounting holes in a determined manner.
The cutting of wire leads on transistors and the like is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,078 to J. Vollmer on Oct. 9, 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 2,923,189 to F. J. Zoschg on Feb. 2, 1960; U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,166 to E. A. Gutbier on Jan. 1, 1963; U.S. Pat. No. 3,075,562 to A. A. Jankowski on Jan. 29, 1963; U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,889 to T. H. Cole on Aug. 18, 1964; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,017 to D. D. Halligan on Mar. 20, 1974.
An apparatus for orienting, feeding, transporting to locations whereupon the leads can be cut and subsequently bent to a shape and spacing is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 to R. L. Hill on Aug. 13, 1968.